Commonwealth Secretariat Invites applications for the nomination for the following Awards

a) Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work 2016

Deadline: July 29, 2015

Do you know of a young person making a positive difference to the lives of other people in your community or country? Nominate them now for the Commonwealth Youth Awards. These awards recognise inspiring young people whose development work has had a significant impact on people and communities in their country or region.

There will be four prizes per Commonwealth region with the top entry from each receiving the Regional Commonwealth Award. From among the four Regional Award winners an overall Pan-Commonwealth winner will be decided.

Eligibility

Nominees must be aged between 15 and 29 years (as of 31 December 2016), and come from a Commonwealth member country.

The nominee must have been engaged in development work for more than 12 months, either in a professional or voluntary capacity;

The development work must be ongoing and taking place in a Commonwealth Country;

Nominees development work must reflect the Commonwealth’s Plan for Youth Empowerment to:

1. Promote youth participation in decision making
2. Promote the economic empowerment of young people
3. Take action for equality between young men and women
4. Promote peaceful and democratic environments in which human rights flourish
5. Provide quality education for all
6. Improve access to information and communication technology
7. Promote health, development and values through sports and culture
8. Engage young people to protect the environment

The development work can be in any of the following areas:

• Agriculture, agri-business
• Arts and culture for development and peace
• Education, peer education
• Enterprise development, youth employment
• Climate change, environment protection
• Health and wellbeing (including work on HIV/AIDS)
• Human rights and democracy
• Information and communication technology
• Journalism, media, public awareness raising
• Peace building
• Science and technology
• Sport for peace and development
• Sustainable development, poverty reduction.

Awards

• The sixteen regional finalists will receive a £1,000 grant, a trophy and a certificate. The four regional winners will receive an additional £2,000 a trophy, and a certificate.
• The Pan-Commonwealth award winner will receive £5,000 in total, a trophy and a certificate.
• The sixteen finalists will be invited to receive their awards at an official ceremony.
• Grants will be awarded to advance the development work of finalists.

Selection Criteria

• Quality of impact.
• Level of innovation/fresh approaches to problem-solving.
• Quality of achievement.
• Quality of the evidence provided.
• Sustainability: building capacity of future generations to meet their own needs.

b)  Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards 2015

Deadline: 29^th July, 2015

The countdown has begun to the Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards, which celebrate the achievements of youth work professionals of any age, and their enduring positive impact on young people.

In just four months, the Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year 2015 will be announced alongside regional winners for Africa and Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, and the Pacific.

Announcing the opening of nominations, Katherine Ellis, the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Director of Youth, said: “Youth workers are champions of young people, who help build their confidence and skills. The Commonwealth Secretariat is committed to supporting the vital contribution of youth workers to improving young lives throughout the 53-nation Commonwealth.”

Entries for the awards close on 31 July 2015, after which 16 finalists will be shortlisted from four regional categories: Africa and Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Americas, and the Pacific. A winner will be selected from each region, and invited to London, United Kingdom, for an awards ceremony during Youth Work Week in November 2015.

Entries will be judged by a panel of representatives from the Commonwealth Youth Programme and young people from across the Commonwealth. Nominees can be of any age and must be from a Commonwealth member country.

Mr Abdikadir Aden Hassan, founder of the Youth for Environmental Sustainability Network in Kenya and a 2014 Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards finalist, applauded the awards scheme as an important platform to acknowledge youth workers who are giving back to society. He said: “The Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards recognise the efforts of people from the Commonwealth who promote youth work and development by offering their services to the community”.

Youth Work Week, organised by the Commonwealth Youth Programme in partnership with the UK’s National Youth Agency, celebrates the contribution of youth work, youth workers and youth organisations throughout the Commonwealth.

The international theme for Youth Work Week 2015, between November 2-8 is ‘Youth Workers Creating Paths to Peace’, acknowledging the role youth workers play in fostering social cohesion, peace and security in society.

How to apply

The applicants are advised to submit their nomination with a brief write up with supporting documents on or before 29^th July, 2015 to the following address